Breathing for relaxation

Rest your hands over the lower curve of your tummy, in late pregnancy you will prob feel like you are holding onto a large melon! Breath in as slowlt and as comfortably as you can. As the breath enters your nostrils allow them to dilate, then breath out through a relaxed mouth (think ‘ive just tried on an expensive lipstick’) notice a slight pause between the breath in and the breath out. notice whats happening to your tummy, feel it rising up under your hands as you breathe in a gentle swelling like a wave building up, and then as you relax your tummy sinks down again as if the ‘wave’ is receding. Feel the pressure in your hands as you breathe in and swell up, and then the pressure withdrawing as you breath out and the tummy goes back to its original position.


these next ones are great for getting though contractions i used all of these when i was in labour and managed to stay drug free :-)


The greeting breath
When you are in labour, meet each contraction with your breathing, giving at first all of your complete breath. This is a deliberate slow breath OUT. imagine an early first stage contaction lasting around 45 seconds. Breath slowly though the contraction feeling the pressure being lifted as your breathe out.

The resting breath

As the contraction fades away, you give a slow complete breath through you mouth –a resting breath- this is important partly because it gives you relaxations at the end of the contraction and you are able to rest before the next one, and partly because it signals to everyone in the room that the contraction is over. Almost waving the green flag to anyone who wants to talk to you.

Full chest breathing

You will need a partner to practice this with. Lie on your side with your back rounded- head and shoulders rounded , legs well apart and the upper leg drawn up and bent at the knee. Now lift you head as If stretching your spine all the way up the back so that you feel taller. Stretch your neck at the back, and all the was down your spine then simply drop back into the first position- let your head rest comfortably between your legs and close your eyes if they feel heavy. This helps relax you into the breathing exercise
Think of your back, your spine isn’t stiff its made up of tiny vertebre in a curving shape –like a string of sausages. Get your partner to rest his hands on each sholder and massage with the flats of his/her hands. Get them to carry on this massage all the way down to the bottom of your back. Then ask your partner to rest their hands on either side of your rib cage they should be in a position that’s comfortable for you. Notice their warmth and strength. Breathe in through the nose and out through your mouth so that the main level of breathing awareness is where you feel the pressure of your partners hands. Listen to your breathing. Breath down to where you feel their hands expanding your ribcage so that its swelling under their hands as your breath. This is useful for when you are in first stage labour.













i have since learned the 7-11 breathing tech my shrink who used to be a midwife told me about it,

breath in though your nose for a count of 7 then out through your nose for the count of 11!
easy!
proven to relax and the counting will help you concentrate on something
it dont haveto be the counts of 7-11 it could be 4-9 as long as the out breath is longer than the in breath!

hun very helpful I could have done with last night might have calmed me down thank you

Thanks for that. I've copied it down and think I might even print it out to go in my hospital bag.

Thanks for these ive copied them down!!

now worries! i found if you read it over and over, then do it as your reading it it helps you remember

Thanks hun

I was doing it as I was reading! Very helpful, made me feel sleepy! Thanks Molly
xx

it is awesome for sleep if your going to use it for labour make sure your birth partner know the drill too cause they can do it with you or explain to midwifes to leave you be or whatever!

x